Photos: Everett Collection; Illustration: Rob Jejenich
If you’re searching for a movie to get you in an appropriately festive Halloween mood, a few new options are new on VOD this week, including the witchy-but-not-scary Practical Magic 2 and the surprisingly gruesome slasher film Buddy, about a homicidal children’s show mascot.
For something a little lighter, check out Runner, the Alan Ritchson-Owen Wilson buddy comedy about a former soldier (Ritchson) who teams up with an unlikely partner, an organ transplant coordinator (Wilson), to deliver a liver to a transplant recipient, all while being chased down by members of a drug cartel. (The film is not to be confused with The Runner, the recently released Gal Gadot thriller about a woman who jogs to save the life of her child.)
Practical Magic 2
Nearly 30 years after the first Practical Magic film premiered, Practical Magic 2 arrived in theaters this fall. The movie reunites Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the witchy Owens sisters, Sally and Gillian, whose family has been cursed by a spell placed on them by their ancestor, which causes the men they fall in love with to die an early death. Sally, now with two grown daughters (played by Maisie Williams and Joey King) must now deal with her daughters’ curiosity and their desire to break the curse.
Buddy
Buddy was a surprise hit at the box office when it hit theaters earlier this year, and now you can catch the dark comedy-horror at home. The movie stars Cristin Milioti and Topher Grace as a couple searching for their child who went missing after appearing on a children’s TV series hosted by a friendly plush unicorn named Buddy (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key). The thing is, Buddy is far more sinister and violent than his sweet kids’ show would have you believe… The film’s voice cast also includes Patton Oswalt and Michael Shannon.
To Buy:
To Rent:
What Else Is Streaming New This October 2026?
What you see above is just a portion of the new movies and shows you can watch this month if you’ve got more than one streaming service subscription. We update our guides to the new releases on the most popular streaming platforms every month, so you can stay on top of the freshest titles to watch. Here are full lists, schedules, and reviews for everything streaming:
- New on Netflix this month
- New on Amazon Prime this month
- New on Hulu this month
- New on Disney+ this month
- New on HBO Max this month
- New on Paramount+ this month
- New on Peacock this month
- New on Starz this month
- New on Acorn TV this month
- New on BritBox this month
- New on Tubi this month
Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.